


The Incubus

by RichardGraysonPercyJackson



Series: The Ones On The Other Side [2]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Angels & Demons, Canonical Character Death, Demons, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, incubus
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-05
Updated: 2019-06-05
Packaged: 2020-04-08 12:43:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19107343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RichardGraysonPercyJackson/pseuds/RichardGraysonPercyJackson
Summary: The show was amazing. Spectacular.And then the trapeze artists fell.





	The Incubus

Bruce didn’t know why this woman had even agreed to go on a date with him if she was just going to complain the whole time.

“Crystal?” Bruce said with a polite smile when he finally felt himself losing his temper. “I’m afraid maybe you should just go home.”

The girl spluttered. “Excuse me?” she snapped.

Bruce nodded. “Thank you for spending the evening with me, but I think I’d prefer to watch the circus performance by myself.”

She raged, because of course she did. But eventually she stormed off. With a sigh, Bruce turned around and made his way into the tent and found a good seat.

The show was amazing. Spectacular.

And then the trapeze artists fell. 

Bruce moved faster than anyone else, rushing over to their son who was screaming at the top of his little lungs, kneeling in his parents’ blood.

Bruce scooped him up, ignoring the boy’s cries and pleads to be put down, rushing him out of the tent.

“No, no!” the boy screamed, kicking and hitting Bruce. “Mommy! Daddy!”

“Shh, it’s alright,” Bruce promised him, kneeling down and-

He’d long ago learned to ignore what people were. Human. Demon. Angel. He didn’t care anymore. So kneeling down in front of this boy whose eyes were as blue as the sky, Bruce felt like his eyes had been run over by a truck.

The kid was a demon. The aura around him pink and thick. But it wasn’t affecting Bruce.

 

_ “Your son has the gift of Sight. He can see what others cannot. He can see Angels and Demons in their true form as well as a whole slew of other creatures.” _

_ “What does that mean?” Martha asked, worry in her voice _

_ “It means neither Heaven nor Hell can sway him,” Sunday replied. “For he will always know who stands before him.” _

 

Swallowing thickly, Bruce held the little Demon by the shoulders, letting out a sigh whe the boy finally stopped struggling, content to stand and cry instead.

“Dick!”

Bruce turned and found the ring master rushing towards them, scooping up the Demon and holding him close, one hand on the back of his head as he soothed him while fresh tears ran down Dick’s face.

“I had to get him out of there,” Bruce explained when the ringmaster - Haly - looked over at him. “He couldn’t...he shouldn’t-”

“You’re a Seer,” the ringmaster said suddenly. “You know what he is.”

“A Demon,” Bruce replied.

“Do you know which designation?”

Bruce shook his head. “I didn’t know there were different kinds.”

Haly gave a small smile. “There are,” he replied. “I’m a Guardian. Doesn’t matter who you were, whether you’re from the Other Side or this one. My job is to protect.” he cast a sorrowful glance at the tent just as police sirens filled the air. “I failed.”

 

………….

 

Bruce was a witness so he had to stay and answer the questions asked of him. When the police officer had walked away, Haly walked up, Dick still held in his arms.

“May I speak to you, Mr. Wayne?” he asked.

“Of course,” Bruce replied. “What is it?”

“Dick’s an orphan now,” Haly explained. “And the police and CPS are refusing to allow him to stay with the circus. I can’t…” he let out a quiet breath. “I can’t leave him somewhere were no one knows how to tend to him.”

“What do you mean, tend to him?” Bruce asked. “Is this about his designation?”

“Yes,” Haly replied. He was quiet for a few moments. “Dick is an Incubus,” he finally replied. “Grandson to the demon Lust. Of course, since his mother turned her back on Hell, it’s unlikely he’ll be welcomed back with open arms.”

“You want me to take care of him,” Bruce concluded.

“Yes,” Haly confirmed. “Please. It doesn’t mean having sex with a minor to feed him. Dick can get away with hugs for now. As he’ll get older, of course, things will change. But he’ll know what he needs.”

“You trust me?”

“Yes,” Haly repled. “Please, Mr. Wayne. There’s nowhere else for him.”

Bruce hesitated for a long time until Dick turned his head, watching Bruce with one teary blue eye.

“Okay,” Bruce agreed. “I’ll do it.”

“I’ll let Commissioner Gordon know,” Haly said. “And...may I leave Dikc here with you? Just for now?”

“Yes,” Bruce replied. “Of course.”

“I’ll come back once I’ve spoken to the police,” Haly was telling Dick. 

“Don’t leave,” Dick whimpered, reaching towards him.

“I’ll only be a moment,” Haly said softly. “This is Mr. Wayne. He’s going to take care of you from now on.”

“I don’t want to leave.”

“I know,” Haly said. “But he’s the best person. He has Sight.”

The had Dick’s eyes going wide as he turned to face Bruce. “Really?” he whispered.

“Really,” Haly replied. “I promise, I’ll be back.”

And then he was gone.

 

…………..

 

It took a long time to get it sorted and an even longer time before Bruce and Dick could finally go home.

It was a month after Dick had come to live with Bruce that they got a visitor. They were sitting in Bruce’s study when Alfred knocked on the door.

“Sirs,” he said, poking his head in. “There’s a visitor here who would like to speak with Master Richard alone.”

That alone set Bruce on edge until Dick stood. “Okay,” he said calmly.

“Dick,” Bruce warned the Incubus, moving over to place a hand on the child’s shoulder before Dick could step forward. “At least let me-”

“I can sense Demon’s auras, Bruce,” Dick told him. “He won’t hurt me. There were…” sadness fell over his expression. “Conditions, when I was born. He’s here to discuss them with me. Besides.” he flashed Bruce a grin. “I’m an Incubus and we trump them all.”

Bruce was still hesitant but he reluctantly traded places in the room with the Demon whose aura was, to him, just the same as the other Demons Bruce had seen.

So Bruce and Alfred waited outside of the study for what was barely ten minutes before the Demon reappeared, bidding them goodbye before vanishing in a puff of smoke.

Bruce rushed into the room to find Dick still seated where he’d been when Bruce had left.

“Are you alright?” Bruce asked, rushing to kneel in front of the tiny Demon. “Did he hurt you?”

“He didn’t hurt me, Bruce,” Dick assured. But he was paler than before. He looked weak, tired. Tired enough that his little horns were poking out of his hair and his spiked blue tail was laying on the couch next to him. “I’m just tired.”

“What did he do?” Bruce demanded.

Dick sighed. “My parents are gone,” he explained, voice breaking slightly. “And...they betrayed Hell. Betrayed King Lucifer. So…” he took a deep breath, swaying dangerously and looking on the verge of death. Bruce rushed to steady him.

“So?” Bruce prompted.

“He took my immortality,” Dick murmured. “And I’m banned from Hell. but I still have my powers. I can just…” he gave a weak shrug. “Die someday.”

“Does that scare you?”

Dick shook his head. “No.”

Bruce paused. “Wait,” he said slowly. “Demons are immortal, but your parents-”

“Were killed by Demons,” Dick replied. “ _ A  _ Demon anyway. That trumps immortality.” he yawned, leaning a little more into Bruce. “I’m tired.”

“Okay,” Bruce said softly. The pink of Dick’s aura is dim, dangerously so compared to what it has been for the past month. But it’s not out, which Bruce finds reassuring. “Alright. Let’s put you to bed, okay?”

“Lay with me?” Dick requested, holding out his arms.

“Of course,” Bruce promised, lifting the boy and holding him close. "Always."


End file.
